Disaster Declaration is Official in Virginia

Welcome to today’s edition of the Dogwood Daily. We’ve got a round-up of all of today’s Virginia news coming right up.

But first…

A Virginia Beach teen is using the money she saved for her prom to provide food care packages for elderly neighbors. – WRIC

Five things you need to know today …

1. Virginia’s Disaster Declaration is Approved- President Trump has approved Gov. Ralph Northam’s disaster declaration request. This means that the federal government will be able to provide financial aid to state and local recovery efforts because of the coronavirus pandemic. Virginia is allowed to request more aid in the future, if need be. –WRIC
   
   
2. 1,706 Cases of Coronavirus Statewide- Virginia has over 1,706 cases of coronavirus statewide, increasing 222 cases since Wednesday. There are 41 coronavirus related deaths in the state, and the total is expected to rise. Gov. Ralph Northam said in a conference that Virginians should expect the peak of cases in late April to late May. According to the Virginia Department of Health, 17,589 people have been currently tested. –WAVY
   
   
3. 16 Dead at Virginia Nursing Facility with Coronavirus Outbreak- A Virginia long-term care facility has reported 16 resident deaths due to coronavirus related causes. The Canterbury Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center has tested all of its residents and has discovered 92 confirmed cases. According to the center, many of their residents who tested positive exhibited no symptoms. –Dogwood
   
   
4. Virginia Tech Students Volunteer During COVID-19 Outbreak- Medical students from Virginia Tech’s Carilion School of Medicine are volunteering towards COVID-19 relief. The students will be volunteering with the Medical Reserve Corp, working at call centers to answer questions about the coronavirus, approved activities and the governor’s stay-at-home order. They have also been reaching out to the community to gather donations of personal protective equipment to give to area hospitals. –WSLS
   
   
5. More Than 110,000 Virginia Residents Filed for Unemployment in a Week- Over 110,000 Virginia residents filed for temporary unemployment assistance during the week ending in March 28, as a result the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. The number of applications rose to 114,104, an increase of 146.6% from the previous week. Since March 14, Virginia has processed 160,381 claims of unemployment. As of March 21, 42,200 people were receiving unemployment benefits. –WRIC